Chainsaw fuel

[North by Northwest]

To each his own.

I'll stick with fuel that isn't junk and ruins my stuff.

Properly treated efuel or proper efuel mixed with proper oil will not ruin anything !

 

[North by Northwest]

I use100LL in all mine. If it don't have an 02 sensor, it gets the 100LL.

Junk pump gas bit me bad one year, two gens wouldn't start, etc. Never again.

87 octane is all that is required in the majority of handheld 2 stroke air cooled engines . The only time high octane benefits is within high compression / horsepower applications , where timing and duration has been altered . e.g. ported work saws or hotsaw usage , racing application within motorcycles & snowmobiles air & liquid cooled engines . Otherwise your wasting money and in some instances may damage your engine !

 

[North by Northwest]

For trouble free operation and performance always store 2 cycle engines free of fuel(empty fuel tank). Run the gas out of the carb as well. All 2 cycle engines will have that tip in the owners manual. I've done it for over 40 years and it works flawlessly.

Sound & proven advice with any 2 cycle engine wether efuel or non efueled !

 

[Goinwheelin]

Ok , thanks for the clarification ! I always ensure full and good tight sealing regardless of container composition , thermal cycles on less than full containers can cause condensation to form within the inner wall of storage container when the dew point is met .

Yep. The quality of the container and it’s sealing mechanism is important. As always you get what you pay for. I have cheap plastic ones around for frequent uses/beaters and the steel safety cans for storage.

 

[North by Northwest]

That's one reason I won't buy a saw from a big box store. The best saw shop near us test runs every saw, blower and trimmer before it goes out the door. Last two Echo's we bought from them they said they're normally running lean right out of the box and they tuned them before we left.

Good advice , a saw always requires tuning during and after break in period , also periodically seasonally to ensure peak and safe performance !

 

[North by Northwest]

Full disclosure, I'm a dealer for AMSOIL products, but I also use AMSOIL Saber at 80:1 with high octane fuel (91 or 93 depending on the gas station) in my saws, including modified saws that I've built (woods port, gasket delete). Not trying to convert anyone, but I've had good success with it and no oil related issues with my saws to date. They have done a lot of testing on it with trimmers, but I do wish they would do one with chainsaws due to the differences in RPM's and load between the types of equipment.

The mix ratio can definitely alter your engine's performance and carb settings. If your saw is tuned from the factory to 50:1 and you put 40:1 because you think more oil is better, you may run the risk of leaning the saw out because you have less fuel per volume at a 40:1 ratio.

True , that's why you tune your saw to the oil ratio utilized , there is no bad oil ratio , only poor tuning ! The only way to ruin a saw engine is to straight gas it or tune improperly along with a dull chain !

 

[North by Northwest]

I catch crap for this every time but I use amsoil saber at 80:1 and e free Sunoco gas. Been running since 2016 haven’t had a failure yet. Plus it has a built in stabilizer so I never really worry about how long it’s in the can. Buy all means you can run it at 50:1 also but it’s rated at 100:1 I just don’t have the balls to run it there. All my saws have very minimal carbon build up and cranks have not been an issues at all. Only saws I do t run at this mix is my ported 395. It would probably be fine but just going off the builders recommendations I have not run it at this ratio.

Ported saws should be run @ 44:1 with Sabre .

 

[North by Northwest]

It will be everything once I use up what saber I have. One mix for everything. Dominator doesn't have stabilizer in it like saber does. So you need to add some if you store it.

You realize Dominator is a Premix oil designed for 50:1 mix ratio for extreme service applications . Sabre actually is a much better oil application for routine homeowner saw , trimmer , blower usages with 50:1 - 100:1 ratios . I personally use Amsoil Interceptor in both injector or premix use for motor cycle & snowmobiles . I have witnessed dominator foul power valves in snowmobiles & carbon foul rings and heads in saws & bikes in recreation use . In high performance. high rpm & heat properly tuned racing application Dominator has proven beneficial , just saying fine oil but for critical service only bro !

 

[Matt Schmitt]

What are you using the dominator in ?

I use Interceptor in all my self mixing engines such as our JetSki’s but I also mix it at 50 to 1 because that’s what they recommend it if I need to use it as a mixed gas.

 

[muad]

Properly treated efuel or proper efuel mixed with proper oil will not ruin anything !

Key word, "treated". efuel is junk in carbureted applications and absolutely will damage gaskets, seals, fuel lines, etc.

87 octane is all that is required in the majority of handheld 2 stroke air cooled engines . The only time high octane benefits is within high compression / horsepower applications , where timing and duration has been altered . e.g. ported work saws or hotsaw usage , racing application within motorcycles & snowmobiles air & liquid cooled engines . Otherwise your wasting money and in some instances may damage your engine !

I call BS with higher octane hurting your engine. At the most you won't see peak performance in a non-modified saw.

I run mostly ported saws, but my stock saws get the same mix and run well. Same with my backpack blowers, weed wackers, etc.

We can argue all day, but I'll stick with what works for me. My local Stihl dealer buys all of their fuel from the same source and runs 100LL in all their stuff, too.

100LL is more readily available to me here than efree pump gas (and, price is probably not far off as the only local efree fuel around here is from marinas).

You do you, I'll keep on trucking with 100LL until my experiences change.

 

[Matt Schmitt]

The only time I use dominator is in my boys 50 cc two-stroke quad but it’s also turning 13,000 RPMs constantly LOL. The cleaning agents in the interceptor are definitely better then dominator if you were using it as a homeowner or not simply beating the crap out of it 24 seven.

 

[Matt Schmitt]

Oh and I do agree somewhat on running the lower octane these saws don’t make super high compression ratio’s. And I’m not talking the compression when you do a compression check LOL. so you don’t necessarily need the high-octane but the only efree around me is 90 so that’s what I run. But I also don’t see how a little higher octane could hurt the motor.

 

[North by Northwest]

The only time I use dominator is in my boys 50 cc two-stroke quad but it’s also turning 13,000 RPMs constantly LOL. The cleaning agents in the interceptor are definitely better then dominator if you were using it as a homeowner or not simply beating the crap out of it 24 seven.

Yes absolutely Matt and the Dominator is designed for extreme temperature high rpm application which allows it to be efficiently burned off in the fuel charge . More oil. , more energy , better compression & horse power. , high quality oil however not a good choice normally for pure recreational vehicles Interceptor ould provide much better protection . !

 

[Mad Professor]

If I'm going to use a lot I'll mix non-E10 premium , and it is fine for months stored in a sealed metal can in cool dry place. > 1 year old has been fine in a cheap week wacker I got for free.

My reserves and long term storage is 100LL stored the same way. It keeps for 1-2 years, maybe more. It does have lead and tune is different than non-E10 premium. I keep a log on the saws for Hi/Lo w/different mixes so I just reset carbs. 100LL stored right unmixed stores for many years.

 

[Goinwheelin]

Key word, "treated". efuel is junk in carbureted applications and absolutely will damage gaskets, seals, fuel lines, etc.

In years past yes, but modern technology has compensated for the prevalence of ethanol in fuel. I have several carbureted vehicles and some 4 stroke equipment that I have used E10 in for decades now without treatment of the fuel.

 

[muad]

In years past yes, but modern technology has compensated for the prevalence of ethanol in fuel. I have several carbureted vehicles and some 4 stroke equipment that I have used E10 in for decades now without treatment of the fuel.

If you run the machine enough, sure it will likely be OK. Let it sit for a period of time, and you're in for a treat.

So, your choices here are to treat it, or just use ethanol free fuel. I choose the latter, and to me it's worth the extra cost to know that my genetators, saws, etc. will always start (no matter how long they sit).

 

[Matt Schmitt]

Ported saws should be run @ 44:1 with Sabre .

We’re close I’m running 45:1 lol.

 

[muad]

We’re close I’m running 45:1 lol.

I think I'm around 40:1. Whatever the little one gallon mix bottle holds filled to the very top (normally they are only filled 2/3 or so for a 50:1 mix).

 

[North by Northwest]

Key word, "treated". efuel is junk in carbureted applications and absolutely will damage gaskets, seals, fuel lines, etc.


I call BS with higher octane hurting your engine. At the most you won't see peak performance in a non-modified saw.

I run mostly ported saws, but my stock saws get the same mix and run well. Same with my backpack blowers, weed wackers, etc.

We can argue all day, but I'll stick with what works for me. My local Stihl dealer buys all of their fuel from the same source and runs 100LL in all their stuff, too.

100LL is more readily available to me here than efree pump gas (and, price is probably not far off as the only local efree fuel around here is from marinas).

You do you, I'll keep on trucking with 100LL until my experiences change.

We’re close I’m running 45:1 lol.

Perfect Matt , you will see the benefits after 100 hrs , no carbon , no piston skirt stuffing and lots of puddling in the crankcase .

 

[ammoaddict]

You realize Dominator is a Premix oil designed for 50:1 mix ratio for extreme service applications . Sabre actually is a much better oil application for routine homeowner saw , trimmer , blower usages with 50:1 - 100:1 ratios . I personally use Amsoil Interceptor in both injector or premix use for motor cycle & snowmobiles . I have witnessed dominator foul power valves in snowmobiles & carbon foul rings and heads in saws & bikes in recreation use . In high performance. high rpm & heat properly tuned racing application Dominator has proven beneficial , just saying fine oil but for critical service only bro !

I called Amsoil and ask which oil to use in a slightly modified chainsaw ( base gasket delete, timing advance, muffler mod) no port work. They recommended dominator but said it didn't contain fuel stabilizer like the saber. I am a participant in a private oil testing thread and the dominator has proven superior in trimmers, blowers and chainsaws. That's why I'm switching to it after I use up my saber.